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Whenever I shop for shoes, I tend to play it safe and purchase plain black shoes because, well, they go with pretty much every outfit I own. I make no apologies. However, I do often suffer from shoe envy. Granted my Flintstone feet, as my husband likes to call them, make it quite to find shoes that fit so I'm often left with few choices. Until I started scouring Amazon.ca, that is. I recently came across their Ultimate Fall Shoe Guide that features tall boots, workday favourites, boots under $100, and more, and found some super cute footwear. And no, they're not all black!

Nine West Women's OLSEN3 Fashion Sneakers - As a full-time teacher mom who is constantly on the go, I have no problem ditching the pumps for sneakers. And these adorable fashion sneakers would be perfect! I also love that they are on sale for $56.58. That's almost half price! Plus, they qualify for Prime shipping and free returns.

Joules Women's Welly Print Rain Boot - As much as I despise the rain, a pretty pair of rain boots can make it all the more tolerable. The great news is these boots are under $100 and qualify for free shipping. I like this navy spot design but there are literally dozens of other colours to choose from.

Steve Madden Women's Court Bootie - For the longest time, I have been on the hunt for a casual ankle boot that isn't black. These slip-on booties, which cost $113.68 and qualify for Prime shipping and free returns, look perfect for those crazy mornings when I'm running late. Theoretically, that is. I never run late.

Pajar Canada Women's Alina Boot - Last on my Amazon.ca wish list are these beautiful ice white boots that will be perfect for winter as well. I've been lusting over Pajar boots for a couple of years and now that my daughter has grown into my old boots, I have the perfect excuse reason. Am I right? These boots retail for $172.31 on Amazon.ca and qualify for Prime shipping, as well as free returns.

Have you spotted a pair of must-have fall shoes or boots on Amazon.ca? Here's your chance to win a $100 Amazon.ca e-gift card! Complete the Rafflecopter form below to be eligible. Open to residents of Canada only, excluding Quebec.

What is small, round, bright and can be used to drive, play games and learn to code? It's Sphero Mini, the ping-pong sized robotic ball. This tiny tech-infused ball is a miniature version of Sphero 2.0, the world's first app-enabled robotic ball. Although Sphero Mini is itty bitty in size, it still packs a whole lot of innovation, making it a super cool and affordable gift idea this holiday season.

The Sphero Mini comes with a set of cute miniature bowling pins and cones, which can be used with the various driving modes. With the Sphero Mini app, players can drive Mini up to a top speed of 1m/s using different modes, such as Joystick, Tilt or Slingshot, which is a fun way to try to knock down the bowling pins. Face Drive is a really fun way to control Sphero Mini, but it will take some getting used to. Here are the basics from Sphero's "How do I use Sphero Mini Face Drive?":

Start by aiming Sphero Mini.

Position your face so that it is fully visible in the on-screen circle and the pink shading disappears.

Smile to go forward, and tilt your head to steer.

Frown to go backward, and tilt your head to steer.

Make an angry face, and Mini runs away.

Make a surprised face, and Mini does a little dance.

Wink and Mini changes colour.

You can also use Mini as a video game controller to play any of the three games. These include:

Exile II: Use Mini as a controller to move and shoot spaceships. This game reminds of me Galaga, making this my favourite Sphero Mini game.

Lightspeed Drifter: Control a futuristic ship racing inside a tunnel with Mini.

Round Trip: Rotate Mini to destroy a polygon of “bricks”. It's kind of like Atari Breakout in 360 degrees.

Finally, my favourite feature of the Sphero Mini is the ability to program it using the Sphero Edu app. You can draw, drag blocks, or code text with Javascript thanks the latest Sphero Edu app update. And because the Sphero Mini costs $69.99, this makes it a more affordable alternative for coding clubs and STEM education in schools. The Bluetooth-enabled Mini has a 10M range and can be charged with the included micro USB. It has LED lights that glow in any colour, as well as a gyroscope and accelerometer, providing endless coding abilities. Charging time is decent at 1 hour for a full charge that lasts for 45 minutes of continuous play. It is also compatible with iOS 10+ and Android 5.0+. To recharge, you have to remove the shell, which means, unlike Sphero 2.0, you can play with the Mini in water. However, this does mean you can interchange shells, which are available in blue, green, pink, orange and white. For more information, visit sphero.com.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

With the holidays just around the corner, I am sure many of us are already on the lookout for gift ideas. At least, I know I am. I love gifting block kits such as LEGO sets but this year, there's a fabulous gift idea to complement toy blocks. Introducing Mayka Toy Block Tape, a revolutionary idea licensed from the ORIGINAL Nimuno Loops. I had supported their Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign earlier this year and absolutely love how it can transform virtually any surface into a base for construction toy bricks and figures.

Mayka Toy Block Tape is a flexible and cuttable surface with an adhesive backing that can be used to make 3D creations. Mayka Tape is compatible with LEGO® toys and other major toy construction brands. It comes in a wide variety of colours, widths and lengths, and can be easily cut with scissors to the desired length. Then you remove the adhesive seal from the back, making not to place it near any hair, dirty floors, food, or other surfaces that may damage the adhesive. Place the tape to a clean surface. Please note that it is not recommended for use on painted surfaces.

Mayka tape can be removed and re-used, provided that the adhesive is in good condition. But like any adhesive product, it will get less sticky if re-used several times. We first tried it on our mirrored closet door. We began by adding a strip to the mirror and applied square bricks sideways. Then we applied a second strip of Mayka tape on the top side of those squares so that we could also build vertically.

A post shared by Mayka_World (@mayka_world) on Jul 30, 2017 at 9:49pm PDT

I highly recommend that you check out the mayka_world Instagram page for some great Mayka tape creations and inspiration. You can also visit the site at maykaworld.com for more details on this innovative product.

Disclosure: I received samples to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Towards the end of summer, leading up to the first day of school, I often scramble to make an appointment with the kids' pediatrician so that my kids can have their regular physical exam before school starts. It's always neat to see how much they've grown over the past year but I also feel it is important to monitor their growth and development, while also making sure they are up-to-date with their vaccines. Just as important as a physical exam, a regular eye exam can help ensure that kids can reach their full potential during the school year. It's never any fun when a child struggles to read the blackboard. Trust me. I know. I've had glasses since I was five years old. Up until then, I truly believed that the blurred lettering on the board had to do with the fact that I sat at the back of the room. I was certain that it was blurry for my classmates sitting next to me as well. Luckily, my teacher caught me squinting and suggested I get my eyes checked and, sure enough, I was indeed nearsighted.

While neither of my children have exhibited any signs that they may need glasses, I still want to make sure that their eyes are healthy. Recently, I booked an appointment for my nine-year-old son at the Loblaws Optical Department at Bayview Village. It had been about two years since his last eye screening and he was feeling slightly apprehensive. I talked him through what to expect and reassured him that he could always ask the optometrist any questions before proceeding to the next step. It was our first time at this location and, when we arrived for our appointment, we were surprised to see what appeared to be a high-tech diagnostic machine, which we later learned is called a tonometer.

After being greeted by friendly staff, my son was directed to sit down in a chair in front of the tonometer. I had never even seen a tonometer before, nor did I know what it was for but the staff was quick to share that it is used as part of a diagnostic test that measures the curvature of the cornea, as well as the pressure inside your eye. During this test, the tonometer blows a puff of air into the eye. Although it startled him slightly, my son laughed it off and thought it was cool when I showed him a picture I took of his eye as seen on the monitor.

Shortly afterwards, we were invited into the exam room where the optometrist conducted further tests. She was so great with my son and was sensitive to how hesitant he felt about certain parts of the exam. Her pleasant demeanor and patience made the whole experience that much easier. While my son did not need a prescription for eyeglasses, the optometrist did note that his vision was off ever so slightly. This is something I will definitely be keeping an eye on (pun intended). Before we left the Loblaws Optical Department, we took a look at some of the cool frames that are available for kids.

I was so happy to see that they continue to offer the Kids See Free program, which is available for children from ages 4-10 years old. They can receive any frame valued up to $49 and single vision, polycarbonate ‘kids safe’ lenses for free with a current prescription. And that includes a basic scratch resistant coating! This program is available year-round so you can take your kids in when it's convenient for you. I only wish they had this program when I was a kid. My parents didn't have any benefits and well, I was known to break my eyeglasses every now and again. But that's a story for another day...

Disclosure: I am participating in the Loblaws Optical Kids See Free campaign and have been compensated for this post. Any opinions expressed therein are my own.

Are you ready for Halloween? No? Neither am I. As usual, I am procrastinating and still have to purchase Halloween treats. Plus, the kids have asked for new costumes and accessories this year. But now that I have Amazon Prime, I don't have to worry about rushing off to the store. My life has been super chaotic these past few weeks and I'd rather eat chocolate covered insects than have to drive around the city looking for costumes. Fortunately, Amazon.ca offers a curated Halloween Store that has everything you need, from tasty treats and spooky movies to home decorations and a wide selection of unique and popular costumes for adults, kids, and pets, too! I recently came across some fun children's costumes which are currently on sale, and they qualify for free Amazon Prime shipping. Here are my top picks:

Stealth Ninja Child Costume, Size Small - This costume is listed at $29.99 but is currently on sale for $25.49. Plus, Amazon Prime members save an additional 20% and can enjoy free one-day shipping. Also available in additional sizes.

Ever since I was a young girl, I found myself captivated by the theatrical magic of Cirque du Soleil. The costumes, the special effects, the music, and the formidable performers, all of them coming together in celebration of circus arts and street performance. VOLTA, Cirque du Soleil’s 41st original production since 1984, and its 18th show presented under the Big Top, is no different. My family and I recently had a chance to see the show here in Toronto and we were all mesmerized.

Photo Credit: Michael Kass

VOLTA is a story about the freedom to choose and the thrill of blazing your own trail. Featuring a number of thrilling sports including BMX, parkour, shape diving, roller skating, rope skipping and more, VOLTA is inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of action sports.

Photo credit: Benoit Z. Leroux

In the story, we meet WAZ, a popular gameshow host who has lost touch with his inner self in the pursuit of fame. Enlightened by childhood memories as he encounters FREE SPIRITS, he slowly rediscovers his true colours and embarks on a search for meaning.

Photo credit: Benoit Z. Leroux

Throughout the show, we bear witness to WAZ's transformation as he realizes the importance of being true to oneself and fulfilling one’s true potential.

Photo credit: Benoit Z. Leroux

VOLTA manages to weave acrobatics, dance and action sports into a visually striking display of talent that is perfectly complemented by a stirring melodic score.

Photo credit: Benoit Z. Leroux

My favourite scene, featured above, took my breath away, it was so stunning. And yes, she really is hanging by her pony tail!

Photo credit: Michael Kass

The final BMX scene was quite impressive, too. A great way indeed to end the show! Cirque du Soleil recently extended the show run of VOLTA until November 26, adding 18 shows total, due to popular demand. For more information, visit cirquedusoleil.com/volta.

Disclosure: I received complimentary passes in order to facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you can attest to my love of all things Marvel, in particular any movie in which you will find Thor or Iron Man or Captain America. Thanks to "Captain America: Civil War", I've had my Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans fix but I have sure been missing Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. Fortunately, we will finally see them together again on the big screen in "Thor: Ragnarok."

In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor finds himself imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and battles against the clock to get back to Asgard to face Hela the goddess of death in the hopes of preventing Ragnarok - the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization. As part of his journey, he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest in which he must fight his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk.

“Thor: Ragnarok” features a star-studded cast that includes Chris Hemsworth as the hammer-wielding hero of Asgard, Golden Globe winner Tom Hiddleston as Thor’s duplicitous adopted brother, Loki, two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanche as the villainous Hela, Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Idris Elba and Jeff Goldblum, to name a few. This long-awaited film thunders into theatres on November 3, 2017 but one lucky Toronto Teacher Mom will get to attend an advance screening!

For a chance to win one (1) double pass to the Toronto screening of “Thor: Ragnarok” on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 7:00 PM at Scotiabank Toronto, please complete the Rafflecopter form below.

About me

Diana is a mother of two children and works as an elementary French teacher in Toronto, Ontario. Launched in 2006, her blog Toronto Teacher Mom features articles on her family's adventures as well as reviews on the latest and greatest. When she isn't busy blogging, cleaning or playing with the kids, you can find her standing on her head, riding a bike or sharing crafts on dianasdesigns.ca.